VenomousReptiles.org Survey

Survey Question	Current Survey Question Should hobbyists ever free handle venomous reptiles with their hands? Recent Surveys Most venomous/toxic Naja species in the world? I have read that the Philippine cobra is the most venomous (mice, 0.2 mg/kg SC with the lowest reported value being 0.14 mg/kg SC) (Brown, 1973). I have recently, come across something in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology (Vol. 30, (issue 12), pages: 1158-1162, 1992) which stated that the LD50 for Naja oxiana was the most toxic/venomous (mice, 0.18 mg/kg SC and lowest reported value was 0.10 mg/kg). Along with that, the mortality rate for untreated Naja oxiana bites are the highest among all Naja species (70-80%). N.oxiana also produced the lowest known lethal dose (LCLo) of 0.005 mg/kg, the lowest among all cobra species ever recorded, derived from an individual case of poisoning by intracerebroventricular injection. Following N. oxiana and N. philippinensis are N. melanoleuca at 0.225 mg/kg SC and then N. samarensis at 0.23 mg/kg. The water cobras (N. annulata and N. christyi also have very toxic venoms, but no SC values are listed. Only intraperitoneal (IP) values of 0.143 mg/kg for N. annulata and 0.12 mg/kg for N. christyi. IP values tend to be generally lower (more toxic than subcutaneous values, so it would be unfair to compare their IP results to the subcutaneous (SC) results of other Naja species. Then I have heard that (without solid evidence) that Naja nivea is the most venomous, although their murine SC LD50 range anywhere from 0.4 mg/kg (Toxicon, Vol. 5, issue 1, page 47, 1967) to 0.72 mg/kg (Australian venoms and toxins Databse). So which is the most venomous? To me it seems obvious that it is the Caspian or Oxus cobra (Naja oxiana), followed by the Philippine cobra (Naja philippinensis). What do you think or know? I've noticed that the Australian venom and toxin Database seems to have higher LD50 values for all snakes across the board. For example, for the black mamba IP value of 0.01 mg/kg is listed (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/004101018890219X) and Ernst and Zug et al 1996, list a SC value of 0.05 mg/kg for the black mamba. While the Australian venom and toxin Database listed much less toxic LD50's. So there seems to be a lot of variation. 2014-01-23 What's Your Favorite Venomous Snake? 2013-11-13 Deadliest Bite? 2013-09-16 IF the science of self-immunization for a snake envenomation was proven/perfected what is the least benefit(percentage) you would accept before practicing it on yourself? 2013-06-06 how did you learn to keep venomous reptiles? 2013-03-02 View All Survey Questions Have a good idea for a VenomousReptiles.org Survey question? Enter your idea!
Thanks for voting! Your vote has been included in the results below. Have you ever had a venomous snake escape from its cage, never to be found again?   Posted: Mar 17, 2002   (491 votes, 9 comments) by Charper
Survey Results
Yes, just once. 4% (20) Yes, and more than once. 4% (19) No! Never! 61% (301) I don't keep venomous snakes. 31% (151)
Survey Comments
Security "Except for that one time". Those words never felt real good to me when I was keeping hots. RattlerJim and I got bit around the same time a couple of years ago, but I think we both agree with the general concensus that anything but strict rules and good quality escape-proof cages is not an option. "Except for that one time my Rhino Viper got me good and I was dead in an hour because I was a 40 minute drive..." Nope. Posted by Keith on July 10, 2002 vocabulary Oops! Its just not in my mental dictionary of hot snake terms..lol Posted by CollegeRattler on April 10, 2002 Venomous escape 29 years of keeping. Yes there was one. I was a beginner and a neonate C. v. viridis crawled up the air tube of the fish tank they were kept in. I found her on the lid and no one was hurt. Now I use Tim Cole's cage design and no one gets out. Posted by RATTLERJIM on April 2, 2002 Wonder how truthful these responses are? You have to wonder if some people think it is funny to scare others by voting "yes, more than once" even if it's not true. I guess you also have to wonder if some people voted "no, not even once" because they didn't want to admit it had happened to them. I am hoping that the truth is that nobody who keeps hots is irresponsible enough to do so under less than professional level security, but it's probably a vain hope. On the positive side, there have been zero envenomations to innocent bystanders from escaped venomous snakes in the United States as far back as I have been able to determine. Posted by MSTT on March 25, 2002 venom on the loose the only time my snakes are out of there cage is when i take them out too clean there cage see the key word when i take them out. Posted by westbushviper on March 24, 2002 its not an option! If you even have to ask yourself is my snake secure or could it get out you should definitely not have venomous reptiles! It is the 7% above that ruin it for the rest of us. Posted by Unboalievable on March 20, 2002 Had one get out of a hold box once and another get loose on the car. Both were quickly rounded up. f Posted by filthy on March 18, 2002 Security When I got my first venomous snakes, I was totally paranoid about them escaping, even though I knew they were secure. Not long afterwards, Toronto evacuated a whole city block due to an escaped saw-scale Viper. Just shows how important preventing an escape is... Posted by Naja_oxiana on March 18, 2002 caging Most important aspect known to man....I'm extremely anal about this and check my cages obssessively. Posted by DougW on March 18, 2002 To post a comment, you must be logged in. If you are not a member, become one now!